Five things to do this week: August 25-31

August 25-31: Five arts and cultural things to do in Toronto this week

1. CULTURE: North America’s largest celebration of global Jewish music and culture, the Ashkenaz Festival is back with a week-long program of music, film, theatre, dance, literature, craft and visual arts that aims to delight all ages. The arts lineup includes more than 80 acts, including renowned world music stars Yemen Blues; Montreal’s Socalled, who likes to mix hip-hop beats with traditional arrangements; Winnipeg’s klezmer revival band Finjan; post-Soviet pop experimenters Opa!, from Russia; a family singalong with Sharon Hampson and Bram Morrison (better known as two-thirds of Sharon, Lois and Bram); Theatre Panik’s live performance of The Corpse Bride, jazz pianist Pete Sokolow in conversation about his six-decade career in New York’s art scene; cartoonist and author Paul Buhle, talking about his career in comics and working with Harvey Pekar; plus dozens of dance acts, lit talks, films, workshops and, of course, the Festival Parade, produced by street theatre stalwarts Shadowland Theatre, featuring a rejigged story of the Golem of Prague.
• August 28 to September 3, various venues and times. Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay W. Free admission to festival (some ticketed events); visit ashkenazfestival.com for schedule and tickets.

2. SCIENCE: How do the laws of physics govern what jugglers can’t, and more importantly, what they can do? How does psychology relate to physiology as an acrobat balances on the high wire? How do human cannonballs, er, survive? Answering questions like this is a three-ring performance for Circus! The Exhibition, an exploration of the “exciting and tantalizingly dangerous world of the circus.” Children and adults alike will have the chance to: test their balancing prowess on a three-metre-high wire; explore the technology of pneumatics and the role played by physics and math when it comes to shooting things into the air and having them hit targets (complete with mini-cannons); discover the science behind scent and nostalgia while unpacking cotton candy, popcorn and peanuts from a food cart. Plus, learn to be a clown, and for the younger children, dress up in costume area and pretend to join the circus!
• Through September 3, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Ontario Science Centre, 770 Don Mills Rd. (at Eglinton). Adults: $22; Children: $13-$16; visit ontariosciencecentre.ca for more details.

3. SPORT: With more urban skateboarding parks opening all the time, and films such as Lords of Dogtown and Gus Van Sant’s Paranoid Park percolating in the mainstream, it’s not surprising that Canada’s premiere theme park is hosting a skateboarding competition. What is a little surprising the purse: $50,000! The West 49 Take the Cake Skateboard Contest will feature marquee skaters such as Ben Gore, Chris Cole, Nyjah Huston, and B.C.’s Paul Machnau. They’ll be pitted against amateur and professional qualifiers across three zones: chain-link area; straight ledges, rail and stairs; and two rails and stairs. The moula? It’ll be doled out to the skaters who do the single best tricks on the stair feature: First place: $20,000; second: $10,000 and third: $6,000, with money right down to lowly 14th place. N.B.: Wonderland asks those not in competition to leave their boards at home, as they’re not allowed in the park.
• August 30 (noon-8 p.m.) and 31 (2 p.m.-8 p.m.). Kingswood Theatre, Canada’s Wonderland, 9661 Jane St., Vaughan. $34.99-$45.99 (two-day pass); for details and tickets, visit west49takethecake.com.

4. MUSIC: Soon to be the busiest guy around these parts, Cameron Bailey, artistic director of the Toronto International Film Festival, will take a brief timeout next week to highlight one of his other great passions with Ah Sey One: A Reggae Insider’s Musical Journey. He’ll be joined by two-time Juno Award-winners The Sattalites, Canada’s oldest reggae outfit, as well as Broken Social Scene’s Brendan Canning. Bailey’s talk will focus on various styles of reggae and discuss the style’s place in Toronto’s musical landscape while The Sattalites walk audience members through the basics, from ska to dancehall, and touching on how dub technology is altering the genre forever. Harlem Restaurant will offer up mini-rotis, beef patties and jerk chicken quesadillas to keep hunger at bay while you gorge on Jamaican musical culture.
• August 29, 8 p.m. Harlem Restaurant, 67 Richmond St. E. $79; visit sceneopolis.com for details.

5. OUTDOORS: It’s that time of year again, when the angle of the sun, the cool air of the evenings and the frowns on kids’ faces from ages four to 24 herald the coming end of summer. But perhaps the most beautiful and delicate symbol of the change of season is the arrival of the butterflies, from the majestic monarch to the comely eastern comma. Displays and activities will be set up throughout the park during The Tommy Thompson Park Butterfly Festival to help you get to know these fragile creatures better (there are 55 species present in the protected area), from caterpillar to cocoon, to their final winged stage. Hikes and walks will also be taking place, along with some bird demos (the area is also a protected sanctuary for feathered creatures, too), but take note: most require registration, even though they’re free. Unfilled spots, though, will be given out on a first come, first served basis.
• August 25, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 1 Leslie St. (at the foot of Leslie, south of Lake Shore Blvd.) Free; visit butterflyfest.ca for details.